Bo Pelini unsure if he'll be disciplined for rant

Bo Pelini feels most fans still support him after an audio in which he ripped Nebraska fans was released.

Getty Images

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said Tuesday he doesn't know if he'll be disciplined for his profane rant about Cornhuskers fans two years ago, adding that he expects most will continue to support him.

An audio of Pelini's tirade leaked to the website Deadspin has Big Red fans buzzing.

Pelini issued an apology in a statement Monday night and reiterated it during the Big Ten coaches' teleconference on Tuesday.

Chancellor Harvey Perlman has expressed disappointment in Pelini but declined to comment when asked if the coach would be disciplined. Athletic director Shawn Eichorst said he was "disheartened.''

Pelini said he has met with Eichorst and spoken on the phone with Perlman about the audio. He did not elaborate.

The Huskers play FCS South Dakota State on Saturday in Lincoln.

"I fully anticipate coaching this weekend,'' Pelini said after practice. "I'm the head football coach until someone says different.''

Pelini said on the teleconference he was shocked by the release of the audio, though he indicated he knew a potentially damaging audio existed.

Pelini said he might lose some fan support, but that he was confident many would understand that his comments were made during what he thought was a private conversation before his radio show after the Huskers' 34-27 win over Ohio State in October 2011.

"I think I've built up enough points with our fans over the last five years in how I've conducted myself, how I've run this program and what we've done with this program to earn some forgiveness for something that was made in a private setting,'' Pelini said. "People will understand this isn't how I feel about the fans. I've said it over and over.''

Pelini criticized fans who left the stadium in the third quarter, when the Huskers trailed 27-6. Nebraska's comeback was the biggest in program history.

Pelini also used profanity while criticizing two Omaha World-Herald sports writers. Pelini had dressed down one of the writers in his postgame news conference that night for writing what he thought was an overly critical column about quarterback Taylor Martinez.

In the days before the Ohio State game, Pelini faced withering criticism for the Huskers' performance the week before in a 31-point loss at Wisconsin.

Pelini repeatedly used expletives while talking on the audio about "fair-weather'' fans and how the day is coming that he'll be gone and that he wonders how the team will fare without him.

"I've said it over and over since I've been here that we have great fans, but I'm human like anybody else,'' Pelini said. "You say things in an emotional moment under certain circumstances and like anybody else, you're human, you make mistakes, you apologize for your mistakes and you move on. That's all you can do in this situation.''

Pelini is 51-21 in six seasons at Nebraska, but he hasn't won a conference title and the Huskers have had a run of lopsided losses on the national stage. His contract runs through the 2015 season. He's being paid $2.975 million this year.

The Deadspin audio surfaced two days after the Huskers squandered a 21-3 lead and lost 41-21 to UCLA.

Pelini said he didn't know who leaked the audio and had not considered legal action against IMG College, the company that owns the Husker network. "I'll be interested to hear who did that,'' he said of the source of the Deadspin audio.

He declined to comment on his thoughts about the source. "I don't want to go there ... Everybody out there knows that obviously there was an agenda behind it and it's unfortunate,'' he said.

Pelini said there shouldn't be a perception that he isn't happy at Nebraska.

"I've had opportunities to leave Nebraska, so obviously I enjoy it here,'' he said. "My family enjoys it here. I've had a good experience here. I've been very active in the community. I have great relationships here. I've had great support here, by the fans.''

Pelini said he's never pursued another job since he's been at Nebraska. "I've had people pursue me,'' he said.

Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

More Football

We've Got Apps Too

Get expert analysis, unrivaled access, and the award-winning storytelling only SI can provide - from Peter King, Tom Verducci, Lee Jenkins, Seth Davis, and more - delivered straight to you, along with up-to-the-minute news and live scores.